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Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet, is set to embark on its first international venture by initiating tests of its self-driving cars in Tokyo in early 2025—a milestone in the company’s global expansion strategy.
Waymo has not yet committed to launching commercial operations in Tokyo, but it has formed strategic partnerships with Nihon Kotsu, Japan’s premier taxi operator, and the taxi application GO. These collaborations will facilitate the testing of Waymo’s Jaguar I-PACE vehicles on Tokyo’s bustling streets.
The initial phase of testing will involve Nihon Kotsu drivers manually operating Waymo vehicles to create detailed maps of key Tokyo areas, including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Chūō, Shinagawa, and Kōtō. This data collection process is crucial for training Waymo’s AI systems. Concurrently, Waymo plans to conduct tests on a specialised course in the United States designed to replicate Japanese driving conditions.
“Our upcoming road trip to Tokyo gives us the chance to work alongside local partners, government officials, and community groups to understand the new landscape. We’ll learn how Waymo can serve Tokyo’s residents and become a beneficial part of the city’s transportation ecosystem,” Waymo stated.
This represents the first stage of a multi-quarter partnership, with Waymo anticipating a long-term presence in Japan. Nihon Kotsu will be responsible for managing and servicing Waymo’s vehicles in Japan.
The Tokyo expansion follows a series of growth initiatives across the United States in 2024, including new testing in Miami, the expansion of driverless ride-hailing services in Los Angeles, and planned expansions into Austin and Atlanta in partnership with Uber.
Notably, this venture into Japan marks Waymo’s first foray into a left-hand traffic market. The Japanese government and Tokyo Metropolitan authorities view autonomous vehicle technology as a potential solution to address the needs of the country’s ageing population.
Tokyo has designated specific areas as “test zones” for self-driving vehicles to accelerate the development of safe driverless transportation systems. Several companies, including local startup Tier IV, ZMP, and Monet Technologies (partly owned by Toyota), are also working on autonomous vehicle projects in Japan.
The announcement comes in the wake of General Motors’ decision to discontinue its Cruise robotaxi division. Honda, an investor in Cruise, had previously announced plans for a driverless ride-hail service in Japan by early 2026 but may need to reassess this timeline.